Sunday, January 24, 2016

Unfortunately Donald Trump Is Probably Right

“The people - my people - are so smart, and you know what else they say about my people? The polls! They say I have the most loyal people. Did you ever see that? Where I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn’t lose any voters. OK? It’s like, incredible.”

That's why they won't be upset if he doesn't deport all the illegal immigrants or build the wall. They have bought into the persona of Donald J. Trump. It's also why Hillary Clinton's supporters aren't upset that she is under FBI investigation. Probably Trump's supporters would not blink if he were either.

Look for the narcissist. The most obvious target in today’s lineup is, of course, Donald Trump. When he looks at a glass, he is mesmerized by its reflection. If Donald Trump were shaped a little differently, he would compete for Miss America. But whatever the depths of self-enchantment, the demagogue has to say something. So what does Trump say? That he is a successful businessman and that that is what America needs in the Oval Office. There is some plausibility in this, though not much. The greatest deeds of American Presidents — midwifing the new republic; freeing the slaves; harnessing the energies and vision needed to win the Cold War — had little to do with a bottom line.

So what else can Trump offer us? Well to begin with, a self-financed campaign. Does it follow that all who finance their own campaigns are narcissists? At this writing Steve Forbes has spent $63 million in pursuit of the Republican nomination. Forbes is an evangelist, not an exhibitionist. In his long and sober private career, Steve Forbes never bought a casino, and if he had done so, he would not have called it Forbes’s Funhouse. His motivations are discernibly selfless. . . .

4 comments:

Unfortunately, that's very true. What is going to happen - I think - is that we'll end up with a Trump/Sanders race. Granny is going down, federal investigation or no. People simply don't like her, nor do they trust her. And she did herself no favors in Iowa last week when she kept supporters waiting for hours, then strolled in and gave a five-minute speech. They were not happy. O'Malley seems sane, but he's in the tank.

That leaves Bernie (absent a brokered convention) - and people love Bern because he promises to whomp "the rich" and give everybody free stuff. And hope'n'change. But a brokered convention to coronate Granny would be a huge mistake because Democratics would sit it out in droves. They don't like her; they really don't like her (to paraphrase Sally Fields).

On the Republican't side, It's Trump vs. Cruz, and Trump's way ahead. That's because the establishment figures they can work with Trump, since he's flip-flopped for years like that trout you hooked and brought to shore.

Cruz scares the snot out of them - so much so that at least one RINO has vowed to vote for Granny if Cruz is nominated. That's why I think it's going to be Bern vs. Trump.

And sadly, neither are presidential material. But that didn't stop people from electing Obama - twice.

There is a way for Cruz, but only if the voters of the other candidates rally around him. With "moderates" like Dole, even though he has no power, saying they can work with Trump, it doesn't seem like Cruz will pick up the anti-Trump voters as Santorum picked up the anti-Romney voters for awhile.

Much as I prefer Cruz, it's not going to happen. Trump's going to get the nomination for two reasons: (1) the GOPe has come to believe that they can work with him (thus the "anybody but Cruz" campaigns of late) and (2) people don't believe that an abusive Granny can do anything to stop the flight of businesses from the USA, but they see Trump as a guy who knows business and may be able to get somewhere on that score.

We have among the highest corporate tax rates of any country; yesterday, Johnson Controls announced that they expect to save $150 million annually by moving to Ireland. Pfizer's already moving there. Remember the Obamacare tax on medical devices? Device maker Medtronic is likewise moving to Ireland. Dozens of other corporations are reportedly looking into exit strategies.

And this is happening because of largely Democrat policies. Granny's response? She excoriated Johnson Controls yesterday in Iowa, accusing them of leaving to avoid "paying their fair share" in taxes, and she's by golly going to make them pay.

Um...that's why they're leaving, and taking many of their jobs with them.

Up until recently this has mostly been popcorn eating time for me and enjoying the show in both parties. I haven't been hard against Trump, but a reasonable percentage of conservative leaning people I know will not vote for him. (They don't hold the Levin "can of orange juice" view of the national election that I do.) I also am hardening against him, though not to the point of voting against him. But, for the first time in my voting life I am *light* thinking about not voting. :-/ I don't think it will come to that as I do follow Levin on this.